Knitting machinery



' Oct. 11, 1932. F. VEITEL I KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Sept. 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN\I ENTOR EM 2? Ve/fe/ a S R ATTORNEY Oct. 11, 1932. VEITEL H,882,2@Z

KNI TTI NG MACHINERY Filed Sept. 10, 1930. 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 TTORNEY Oct. 11, 11932. F. \IElTEL KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Sept. 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INYENTOR Fm ATTORNEY KNITTING MACHINERY F l p 10, 1930 4 Sheet-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRITZ VETTEL, F WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE, ASSIGNMENTS,

TO UNIVERSAL PATENTS HOLDING (10., 0F WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY KNITTING MACHINERY Application filed September 10, 1930. Serial No. 480,986.

The invention relates to knitting machines and more particularly to machinery of this class adapted to knit full fashioned hose.

It is the usual practice in the art of knitting full fashioned hose to knit the leg portion on one machine known as a legger and then transfer the partly knit blank to another machine for completion, the second machine being known as a footer. Numerous attempts have been made to provide a knitting machine in which the complete stocking is formed but as far as is known to date such attempts have been unsuccessful.

The principal object of this invention is to provide such a machine and the results ensuing are manifold. Great economies are eifected'in the manufacture of the stockings on such a machine due to the fact that not only is a substantial saving in labor brought about on account of only one machine being used but large amounts of capital invested are saved. The product of the machine is also far superior to hose made in the conventional manner; that is, on a legger and footer.

Another important aspect of the invention resides in the fact a standard machine may be utilized with slight rearrangements of some of the parts and additional parts of an extremely simple nature added.

For the sake of simplicity in the drawings, no attempt has been made to illustrate the complete machine, only the parts of the machine being illustrated to which the invention directly appertains.

Other advantages willbe brought in the following specification and illustrated in the drawings forming apart thereof. Referring to said drawings:

Figure lis a front elevation. In this view only one section with two needle bars is illustrated. It is to be understood that as niany sections may be employed as is desira le:

Figure 2 is a view looking toward the left of Figure 1, parts being in elevation and parts e in section;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1; 1

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail elevational view showing the needle bar, narrowing fingers and plates used in conjunction with the narrowing fingers; and I Figure 7 is a plan view of partof a stocking blank knit on the improved machine. Referring again to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates the frame. Suitably mounted in the frame and driven in any well known manner is a cam shaft 11.

Particular attention is now directed to Figures 1 and 2, in which the parts are illustrated by means of which it is possibleto permit the thread carriers and narrowing fingers to narrow with a one or two needle movement as desired. Secured to the cam shaft 11 is a cam having three faces 12, 13, and 14, the face 13 being circular, and the faces 13 and 14 being respectively higher.

A cam roller 15- adapted to engage any of the cams 12, 13, or 14 is slidably mounted on a stud 16 projecting from a cam lever 17,

. which in turn is pivoted on a; shaft 18. Pivot ed at 19 to the upper end of this cam lever is a link 20, the other end of which is pivoted to an arm 21 freely mounted on a shaft 22.. The arm 21 carries a pawl 23, which engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel 24, the ratchet wheel being fixed to the shaft 22.

The shaft 22 is provided with the conventional right and left hand threaded portions 25 on which threaded members26 provided with stops 27 are mounted. The stops 27c0- operate with a projection 28 on the threadcarrier bar 29,\which has the usual thread carriers 30. i

When the cam roller 15 engages the circu- 90 I lar part 12 of the cam there will be no move-' ment of the threadedmembers 14 and conse-' quently the stroke of the carrier rod will be even and no narrowing will be accomplished.v

14 of the cam a two needle narrowing movement will be effected.

nuts ,41 carrying Means are provided for automatically moving the camfroller 15 into engagement with any of the faces 12, 13, 14 when desired. A fork 31 engages the cam roller and said fork is moved through the medium of a connection 32 with a known form of narrowing jack or chain 33. The buttons 34 on the-narrowing.

chain-may be so positioned and of'suificient height so as to cause the narrowing move Inents of the thread carrier to be efi'ected when so desired. a

The means for controlling the movement of the narrowing fingers operates in coordination with the movement of the thread carriers. The cam lever 17 has an upward extension to which is ivoted one end ofa link 35, theother end 0 which is pivoted to an arm 36, freely mounted on an auxiliary shaft 37. The arm 36 carries a" pawl 38, which engages teeth on a ratchet wheel 39 fixed to the auxiliary shaft 37. i

The shaft 37 has right and left hand threaded portions 40 upon which are threaded downwardly depending members 42. The downwardly depending members ,42 are secured to slides 43, which "carry the narrowing fingers 44. From an inspection of the drawings and the explanation heretofore given, it is thought to be apparent that the narrowing fingers will move in coordination with the thread carriers.

It is essential and important in accordance )m'jth the invention that means he provided for giving the thread carrier stops and the narrowing fingers an outward movement.

This means is ures 1 and 3. v -Mounted on the cam shaft 11 is 'a cam having two surfaces .45 and 46. Either of said services are adapted to engage a cam roller 47 slidably mounted on a stud 48 which is secured to a cam lever 49. The cam lever 49 is pivoted on the shaft 18 and pivotally mounted on the upperend. of shaft 18 is a link 50.

' "The opposite end of link 50 is connected to an arm 51 freely mounted on a short counter,

shaft 52. The arm 51 carries a pawl 53 which engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel 54- secured to the shaft 52.

- 3 'Mounted on the shaft 52 is a spur gear 55 which meshes another spur gear 56 secured Ito the shaft 22. In this manner the shaft 22 -.w1llbe :advanced in the opposite direction to particularly illustrated in Fig-- the movement given it by the cams. 13 and 14.

Obviously this will result in the threaded" members 26 moving away from each other step by step and thus allow a greater move-' merit for each stroke of the carrier bar 29, to secure the desired widening of the web being knitted. i

In Figure 1 only one carrier bar and one thread carrier for each set of needles is illustrated. It is to be understood that any desired number of carrier bars and thread carriers may be used depending upon the number of reinforcing threads employed. As sucharrangements are wellknown in the art, it is not thought necessary to complicate the drawings by illustrating a plurality of carrier bars and thread carriers.

the cam roller 47 into engagement with the am 46 at the proper time when it is desired to widen the webbeing knit. A fork 57 is connected to the narrowing jack or chain 33 a line 58. The buttons 34 of. the narrowmg chain are' so arranged as to operate the line 58 at the proper time.

When the widening movement. is transmitted to the thread carriers it is also essential to move the narrowing fingers away from each other. For this purpose a second link 59- is pivoted to the lower part of an arm 60, freely mounted on the shaft 37. The arm 60 carries a pawl 61, which engages teeth on a ratchet wheel 62 secured to the-shaft 37 The teeth of the ratchet wheel 62 being arranged in the opposite direction from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 39 and the link 59 being connected to the lower end of the arm 60, the ratchet wheel 62 will advance the shaft 37 in the opposite direction to the movement imin synchronism with the widening movement q of the thread carriers.

At this time it is desired to call attention to Figure 7 in which is illustrated a fragmentary plan viewof the knitted web or blank I and particularly the heel portions thereof. The reference numeral 63 designates the leg portion of the web or blank which ,is adjacent the heel and instep portions. In that part of the leg portion shown Figure 7 the sides 64 are parallel. The upper part of the leg portion will be narrowed to form'the well lmown full fashioned stocking and the narrowing is formed and controlled by the mechanism heretofore described. 1

Beginning at points 65 the widening operation is started which likewise is controlled by the mechanism heretofore described. This widening operation is continued regularly by a one or two needle outward movement until the line aa is reached. At this point itis desired to form the web with a short curve 66 so as to make a neater and better appearing finished stocking.

In order to perform this operation with the same narrowing fingers means are employed to bring the narrowing fingers back to their regular position after narrowing. In this way a one needle outward and two needle movement inward is utilized to form the curved portions 66.

This is accomplished by means of a drawback device which comprises a hooked detent 67 which is pivoted at 68 to the frame 10. A short lever or arm 69 is secured to the pivot 68 and connected by a link 70 to a bell crank lever 71 which in turn is pivoted at 72. A connection 73 passing about a pulley 74 leads to the narrowing chain or jack 33 which operates the drawback device at the proper times.

Referring again to the blank shown in Figure- 7 it is also necessary in forming the portions 66 to provide means whereby it is possible to permit only a certain number of the narrowing needles of the narrowing fingers to function when narrowing. This means is particularly illustrated in Figures 1, 5, and 6.

Plates 75 are secured to a shaft 76. A short lever 77 is fixed to the shaft 76 and a link 78 is pivoted at its upper end to the lever 77. The lever end of the link 78 is pivoted to a cam lever 79 which in turn is pivoted to the frame at 80. The lever 79 has a stud 81 projecting therefrom and said stud carries a cam roller 82 which is adapted to engage either a circular member 83 or a cam 84 mounted on the cam shaft 11. A spring 85 holds the cam roller 82 against the member 83 or the cam 84. I

The plates 75 are positioned between the narrowin fin ers and frame needles and when the cam roller engages the cam 84, the plates are forced against the narrowing fingers as shown in Figure 6 and only allow a certain number of the narrowing needles to function; hen the cam roller 82is in engagement with the circular member, the plates 75 are held away from the narrowing fingers and all the needles of the narrowing fingers may operate when the regular narrowing operation is performed.

Means are provided to cause theplates 75 to function at the proper and desired time.

The plates and other parts heretofore described operate not onlyin the formation of the parts 66 but at other times, for instance, in forming the toe portion of the web. A fork 85 is connected by a line 86 to the narrowing jack 33 and the buttons 34 are so arranged on the'jack or chain as to cause the fork 85 to move the cam roller 82 into engagement with the cam 84 at the proper times.

Attention is again called to the web or blank shown in Figure 7. Loose courses 87 and revel courses 88 are formed thereon. Means are provided for automatically performing these operations during the continuous knitting of the web and this means is particularly illustrated in Figures 1 and 4.'

To accomplish this it is desirable to move the needle bar 89 and frame needles 90. A

.cam 91 is secured to the cam shaft 11 and has two high spots 92. The cam 91 engages a cam roller 93 which is pivoted on a rocker arm 94 freely mounted on a rocker shaft 95. The rocker arm 94 is bifurcated or formed in two parts and between the two parts an actuating arm96 is pinned or otherwise secured to the rocker shaft 95. The actuating arm 96 is provided with an adjusting screw 97 which contacts with an abutment on the rocker arm and limits the movement of the rocker arm.

The rocker arm through mechanism hereinafter described controls the amount of movement of the needle bar. It is desirable to have the amount of movement of the needle bar under a very fine regulation so as to compensate for the tension and other characteristics of different grades of thread used in knitting the stocking. The adjusting screw 97 forms a simple and efficient means for accomplishing this desirable result.

It will be apparent when the high spots 92 on the cam 91 contact with the cam roller 93 the rocker shaft will be moved a certain amount depending upon the position of the adjusting screw 97. Secured to the rocker shaft 95 are short arms 98 which engage the depending endsof levers 99 pivoted in the usual manner to a shaft 100 carried by the frame. The levers 99 through well known mechanism 101 move the needle bars 89 and needles 90 toward the sinkers and dividers soas to form the loose courses 87.

Normally, the levers 99 are maintained in their desired position by the usual rollers 102 engaging the circular members 103. In the operation one revolution of the cam shaft represents one stroke of the carrier bar. 12C When. it is desired to perform the loose cours ing the cam roller 93 is moved into engagement with the cam 91 and as the cam roller engages the two high spots 92 on the cam the two short lengths of loose coursing are made. 125

Means are provided for automatically moving the cam roller 93 into engagement with the cam 91 when the loose coursing is to be made. The cam roller is slidably mount-.

ed on a stud extending between the two rocker 13c farms 94: and is engaged by a fork 104 which has anoperable connection 105 with the narrowing ack or chain 33. By a suitable arlmitting of other descriptions may be taken care 0 Numerous changes may be made in arrangements of parts and detailsof constrlfction by one'skilled in the art and all such changes are to be considered as coming with in the spirit ofthe invention and the scope of the appended claims I claim:

- 1. A knitting machine in which the comlete web for a full-fashioned hose may be Enitted, said machine having in combination, thread carrier bars, thread carriers on said bars, narrowing fingers, a cam shaft, narrowin cams on said shaft, a shaft havi opp itely threaded portions, stops mounte on said portions and cooperating with said thread carrier bars, operable connections between said narrowing cams and said shaft having oppositely threaded portions whereby said stops may be moved toward each other for narrowing, another shaft having oppositely threaded portions, threaded mem bers carried by said second mentioned shaft and cooperating with said narrowing fingers, operable connections between said narrowing cams and said second mentioned shaft ha oppositely threaded portions whereby said narrowing fingers may be moved "to ward one another, a widening cam on said cam shaft, operable connections between said widening cam and said first mentioned shaft having oppositely threaded portions, where-. by said stons may be moved away from each other for widening, and operable connections I between said widening cam and. said second mentioned shaft having oppositely thieaded portions, whereby said narrowing fingers may be movedaway from each other;

2. A knitting-machine in which the comll plete web. for a fullfashione'd hose may be knitted, said machine having in combination, thread carrier bars, thread carriers on said bars, narrowing fingers, a cam shaft, narrowing cams on said shaft, a shaft having oppositely threaded portions, stops mounted on said portions and cooperating with said thread carrier bars, a ratchet wheel on said shaft, a'ratchet engaging said ratchet wheel, connections between said ratchet and said narrowing cams whereby said stops may be said narrowin between said firstmentioned ratchet operatmoved toward each other for narrowin another shaft having oppositely threade portions, threaded members carried by said second mentioned shaft and cooperating with fingers, a ratchet; wheel mounted on sai second mentioned shaft hav- 'ing oppositel ,threaded portions, a ratchet engaging sai ratchet wheel and connections ing means and said latter ratchetlwher b said second mentioned double threaded shag;

may be rotated to move said narrowing fingers toward each other, a widening cam on said cam shaft, operable connections between said widening cam; and saidfirst mentioned double threaded shaft whereby said stops may be moved away from each other for widening, and operable connections between said widening :cam and said second double threaded shaft whereby said narrowing fingers may be moved away from each other during the wideninlgnolperation. 4 A

3. A 'tting machine in which the complete web for a fullfashioned hose may be knitted, said machine having in combination thread carrier bars, thread carriers on said bars, narrowing fingers, a cam shaft, narrowings cams on said shaft, a shaft having 0 p0 sitely threaded portions, stops mounte on saidportionsandcooperatingwithsaidthread carrier bars operable connections between said narrowing cams and said shaft havin oppositely threaded portions whereby sai stops may be moved toward each'other during the narrowing operations, means for moving said narrowingfingers toward each other during the narrowing operations, a widening cam on said cam shaft, operable connections between said widening cam and said shaft having oppositely threaded portions whereb said stopsmay be moved away from eac otherduring the widening. operations, and means for moving said narrowing fingers away from each'other during the narrowing operations.

,4. A knitting plllete web for' a full-fashioned hose may be itted, said machine having in combination,

thread-carrier bars, thread carriers on said bars, narrowin fingers, a camshaft, narrowing cams on said shaft, a shaft liaving oppositelythreaded portions, stops'mounted on said portions and cooperating with said thread carrier bars, operable connections between said narrowing cams and said shaft havin oppositely threaded portions whereby sai stops may be moved toward each other during the narrowing operations, means for moving said narrowing fingers-toward each other guring the narrowing operations awiden g camlon said cam shaft, operabl connections between said widening cam and said shaft having oppositely threaded portrons whereby said stops may be moved away from each other during the widening operamachine in which the comtions, a loose coursing cam on said cam shaft,

a roller engaging said cam, a rocker arm on which said roller is mounted, adjustable means for limiting the movement of said rocker arm and means controlled by the moveinent of said rocker arm for moving the needle Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this sixth day of September, 1930, A. D.

FRITZ VEITEL. 

